MEDICATION Sticking To It
According to the World Health Organisation, 50% of patients put their health at risk by not taking medication correctly. James Murray, Pharmacist and Sales & Marketing Director at MTS Medication Technologies®
, explores how recent developments in technology could help to promote healthier habits.
It has long been a topic for discussion, but medication non- adherence is still costing money — and lives. Non-adherence to medication currently costs the NHS a startling £500 million each year. What’s more, this figure sits against a worrying backdrop of 50% of patients who are not taking their medication correctly, which severely compromises the effectiveness of treatment. In the EU, nearly 200,000 deaths occur each year due to missed doses of medication.
Over three million people have diabetes in the UK — that accounts for 6% of the total population. Starkly, 100 amputations are carried out every week due to complications of diabetes and 1,280 diabetic patients per year go blind due to diabetic retinopathy.
Controlling blood sugar and blood glucose levels is integral to
managing the risks associated with diabetes with glucose-lowering, cholesterol-lowering, and blood- pressure-lowering medications all recommended for typical patients.
each year due to missed doses of medication.
Adherence to a medication regime and lifestyle changes are critical but for patients with diabetes, having to take multiple medications can result in poor adherence, which can have devastating consequences.
What Are We Doing Now? Currently, over one million patients use Adherence Packs in the UK, which are designed to enable the pharmacist or
200,000 deaths occur In the EU, nearly
care provider to deliver personalised patient medication packs. The packs organise multiple medications in an easy-to-follow format and provide an instant visual reinforcement to patients of what to take and when.
Even pharmacies with a small number of patients can launch an adherence pack service with just one box. There is no requirement to invest in expensive equipment and the service can be up and running immediately. The real beauty of this approach is that it’s so scalable; as the service grows and more patients use the packs, technology is available to ensure the packaging process evolves efficiently, saving both time and money.
While the use of these products has risen over the years, there are still a large number of patients who find managing their medication a
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